New Jersey Test Results Show Poverty Contributes To Poor Performance

The Press of Atlantic City (NJ) (1/4, D'Amico) reports, "The academic performance of New Jersey students living in poverty continues to lag far behind that of their nondisadvantaged peers, preliminary results of state tests given to public school students in 2010 show. New Jersey students from socioeconomically disadvantaged families, identified as those in the free- and reduced-fee meal program, remain far behind their peers in every grade in both math and language arts, the test results show." The Press of Atlantic City adds, "The issue is even more pressing as the state struggles to reach benchmark passing rates required by" NCLB.